Air India is conducting an investigation after a passenger discovered a metal blade in his in-flight meal during a recent flight from Bengaluru to San Francisco. Journalist Mathures Paul, who was aboard flight AI 175 on June 9, recounted the alarming incident on social media.

Paul detailed his experience, explaining that he encountered the blade while eating a fig chaat dish served by Air India’s in-flight catering. "I realized it was in my food after I chewed it for two or three seconds. As soon as I spat it out, I saw what the object was," he wrote in a post on X. "The stewardess apologized briefly and returned with a bowl of chickpeas."

He emphasized the potential dangers, stating, "It is hazardous to have a blade on any flight. It could have injured my tongue or, worse, a child eating this food."

Paul also revealed that Air India had contacted him a few days later, offering a "free business class trip to anywhere in the world" as compensation, which he declined, labeling it as a bribe.

In response, Air India, now under the ownership of the Tata Group, acknowledged the incident. Chief Customer Experience Officer Rajesh Dogra confirmed the presence of a "foreign object" in the meal. "We have traced the issue to a vegetable processing machine used by our catering partner," Dogra said. "We are collaborating with them to enhance safety measures, including more frequent checks of the processor, especially after chopping hard vegetables."

Dogra did not address Paul's claim about the offered compensation.

This incident adds to a series of complaints Air India has been facing regarding in-flight services. Passengers have voiced dissatisfaction on social media about unclean cabins, malfunctioning entertainment systems, and subpar meal quality. Business class travelers, in particular, have criticized the airline for not meeting service expectations despite high ticket prices. Air India has issued apologies and pledged to address these concerns internally.